The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1887-07-27
SOUTHERN AGRICULTURAL
LABOR IN THE SOUTH.
What Is Paid In Five States for Skilled
and Unskilled Labor

ABOUT tnC COnQltlOll Ol laDOIelS az"
the price of labor in the South, an in
quiry has been made, as part OF a
general inquiry into wages, to ascer-
tain the facts. Five Southern States
were selected-North Carolina. Geor-
ola. Tennessee, Alabama and Missis-
sippi-and personal letters were sent
to trustworthy persons (some white,
some black) in every county in these
States. The first inquiry made was:
what wages are paid in your COM
munity for ordinary unskilled laborP"
Forty-five answers have been re-
ceiycd from Tennessee, AZ from North
Carolina, 81 from Georgia, 81 from
Mississippi, and AZ from Alabama
UNsKILLED LABOR
Some answers give the wages by the
day and some by the month; classified.
the replies fall into the following
groups-tirst:
h hsrs than than IL. IL; il is 81 8 :
~ Less ms d than ST.. NJ i Is 1s T. IL ~ IS
4 Or p psr day % sis Is SO, q uos %
1t will be observed that there is a
striking correspondence between the
average wages per day and the aver
age wages per month reported from
each State This is in fact a striking
confirmation of the accuracy of the
averages. Thus monthly wages in
| North Carolina are little lower than
in any other State. and so are the daily
wages. The next lowestis Mississippi,
we're day wages average 924 cents and
monthly wages $40 Alabama shows
q little higher average in both.
Tennessee shows the highest average
in daily wages reported, although in
the reports of monthly wages those
from Georgia are higher than those
from Tennessee. A fair general
average of all the States is between
$40 and 81 month, and about 81 4
day. This would seem to indicate
that the average unskilled laborcr in
these States works not more than
eleven days in month. But this diff
ference is partly explained by the fact
that as rule when wages are paid
daily board is excluded, and when paid
monthly board, or "rations, are in
cluded. A little more than $40 a
month the year round and ratons is
about fair summary OF all the an
swers In great many, if not in
most cases, q house or shanty is also
included. So that board and lodging
aud from $40 to S11 is the average pay
for the day laborer in these States.
The fact that Tennessee and Georgia
make better showings than the rest of
the States, and that Mississippi and
North Carolina fall lowest in the list,
finds confirmation in the fact that in
Tennessee and Georgia, and to less
extent in Alabama, there are more
towns and manufactures than in North
Carolina and Mississippi, and that
diversified industry has increased
wages.
SKILLED LABOR.
The answers to the questions, "What
nre the wages in your community paid
for skilled labor, such as carpenters
masons and machinists?" fall into the
following groups which express wages:
Per Day ". C.. Tenn. Ga. Ala. Mics.
40 Or less tx Is IL IL
$3.50, or more
r tAsn a. ., q q X 10 1s 4
This table presents one or two cur
ious results. Mississippi. for instance,
which shows the lowest average pay to
unskilled, shows the highest average
pay to skilled labor. Next comes
Tennessee, then Alabama, then North
Carolina and Georgia stands at the
foot of this list of averages. A proba
BILE explanation is that the industrial
activity in Georgia has drawn thithel
or developed very large supply o.
certain classes of skilled labor, ant
that in the absence of such activity
and advertising in Mississippi there i:
n much smaller supply.
Many correspondents have taken the
trouble to explain that carpenters re
ceive lower wages Gin some commune
ties much lowe) than engineers Oh
even than masons. The foregoing
tables embrace all classes of skilled
labor. 1t will be noticed that there il
much wider range of variety in thu
prices paid skilled than in the price:
paid unskilled labor. The impression
made on the reader of all these an
swers in detail is that while the price
of unskilled labor is and has beer
nearly station airy, the prices for skilled
labor are very variable, and are on tn,
IN